TH: Face to Face
by brawlingwolf
Summary: The first anniversary of Gunmar's defeat is drawing close, and a gathering of Arcadia's residents will mark the occasion. However, it just wouldn't be complete without the Trollhunter himself, even if he is on the other side of the country and not exactly eager to show his new face back home. But his is a story no one else can tell. One-shot, post S3.


A loud, repetitive beeping came from an old alarm clock once it displayed the set time: 5 o'clock in the evening. A thrown stone struck the clock along with a grumble, but it refused to stop beeping.

"All right, all right." A grumpy, half-asleep voice came from the roused half-troll, and his four-fingered hand reached over and rather pointedly turned the clock off. His five-fingered hand grabbed hold of his blanket and pulled it back over his shoulders and he promptly buried his face back in his pillow. An unintelligible grumble came from the human girl curled in against his chest, and she wrapped her arm over his waist.

"Okay, okay…" She mumbled, and he stroked her hair.

"Sun isn't even down yet," he replied and pulled her close against him without ever bothering to open his eyes. "Five more minutes." She squirmed out of his embrace as much as she could and eyed him.

"Come on, Jim." She kissed the tip of his nose. "We gotta get ready to go. Don't wanna waste the night, right?" He only pulled her in again, now making no effort to control his strength to give her a fighting chance. He'd never hurt her, of course, but he could certainly be stubborn as stone when he felt like it. She huffed and wriggled in his arms again, never one to admit defeat.

"Come ON, Jim," she said more firmly this time, and he peeked one blue eye out from under his mat of messy black hair. "You said yourself that you wanted to leave as soon as possible."

"That was before I had to wake up early," he complained, but humor shone in his eyes. He finally released her and sat up, running both hands through his hair, making a feeble effort to tame it down around his horns. She smacked his chest, though he probably barely felt it. He grinned at her, and she smirked in response and kissed his cheek.

As Jim got to his feet and the two excused themselves to change their clothes, there came an excited knock at the door to their home. It was a small abode, set up with a hearth and the closest thing the trolls could manage to indoor plumbing. Jim kept a few trinkets and tools on a table on one side of the carved out cavern, and Claire had a few more things on the other where she had set up a vanity and a chest with most of her clothes and belongings, save her armor that was currently worn by a makeshift dress dummy. His own, of course, was inactive, now that Merlin had finally let him dismiss it and return the Amulet to its usual state. Frankly, trying to sleep in his armor was not an easy task. Jim had a few other shirts, vests, and pants that Claire had helped make for him that better fit his larger frame, and he decided not to bother with shoes now that the soles of his feet were so tough.

Once he was dressed, Jim answered the next knock on the door to find a certain six-eyed troll waiting impatiently for him.

"Ah, it is good to see you up and about!" Blinky said, two hands on his waist. "I was beginning to worry you had overslept. I trust you are prepared for your journey?"

"As ready as we're gonna be," Jim replied with a yawn. "Don't worry, Blink. We wouldn't leave without seeing you."

"I should hope not!" Blinky huffed and forced his way through the doorway, and Jim shook his head and followed him.

"Hey, Blinky," Claire greeted as she adjusted a barrette in her hair. "Something wrong? You look on edge." Blinky sighed and frowned.

"Forgive me, Master Jim. I'm afraid I am rather distraught. Your departure will be the first occasion in which we have been without a Trollhunter in quite some time. And we are still settling in, as you no doubt need reminding. Without you, without Aaarrrgghh, without Draal… means of defending ourselves will be quite scarce."

"It'll be fine!" Jim insisted. "We'll be gone two weeks max and it's not like anyone's looking for us. Besides, you have Merlin. He should be useful for something. Plus Nomura can put up a heck of a fight."

"I know…" Blinky took a heavy breath and straightened himself. "You're right, of course. Forgive me for being overly concerned. So much has happened already, I would loathe to see yet another tragedy befall us."

"I get it," Jim nodded and put his hand on his mentor's shoulder. "You'll be alright. And we'll be back, I promise." Blinky nodded to him.

"I wish I could accompany you, but I know I'm needed here and I'll just slow you down. Jim, Claire, I wish you safe travels."

"Thanks, Blinky," Claire smiled as she came to lean on Jim's side, an odd habit she had taken up recently. It didn't bother him- she was light as a feather to him these days, and he was glad to be her support. "We'll say hi to Toby and Aaarrrgghh and everyone else for you!"

"That would be quite appreciated," Blinky agreed. "I won't keep you any longer than necessary. But please contact me when you arrive!"

"Okay, okay," Jim replied. No doubt that agreement would be the only way to get him off their backs. "I'm gonna eat real quick, then we'll be on our way."

"I have snacks packed for the trip," Claire said with a grin. "For both of us, so don't worry."

The two ate a quick meal, Claire with the usual breakfast food for a human and Jim with a bit more variety. It had taken him some time to get used to his new body and its needs; he usually needed about four to six hours of sleep, longer than a troll but shorter than a human. His hair and nails grew at a much faster pace than the trolls and were a bit tougher to manage than they used to be. His hair had certainly gotten a lot thicker and stiffer. His appetite, however, was likely the strangest part of his lifestyle. He had certainly developed a taste for certain metals and stones, though used clothing still did not appeal to him. Meanwhile, there were some more "normal" things he did eat, though he preferred his meat warm and nearly raw and did not digest grains very well. Apparently, being half troll and half human applied to almost every aspect of his life.

He swallowed a chunk of iron ore, finishing his meal, and Claire set aside a now empty bowl.

"Ready?" She asked, and he nodded. They both picked up backpacks full of things they needed for their journey, and left their home. The new Trollmarket was still taking shape around the Heartstone they had discovered, and carving out stores and homes was an ongoing process. But the residents had finally begun to settle in nearly a year after leaving Arcadia behind. Both Jim and Claire had to take time to adjust to life among trolls, each in their own way, and he regularly reminded her how thankful he was to have her with him.

After bidding farewell to Blinky and the others, the two headed up a winding incline to a cavern wall, and Claire took a horngazel from her bag and drew the arch that would lead them out to the surface. They emerged underneath a large highway bridge spanning what maps identified as the Delaware Water Gap, a great river between Pennsylvania and New Jersey where their Heartstone lay deep underground. The sun was setting and the trees around them would block any stray rays that would otherwise burn Jim.

"Ready?" He turned to Claire with a grin, and she smirked and jumped up on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and shoulders and crossing her legs over his waist. He leapt at the sheer cliff wall and quickly began climbing, his fingers and toes grasping at the smallest holds or just digging in and making their own. Claire rested her chin on top of his head between his horns, glancing around as he climbed.

"There's gotta be an easier way to do this," she remarked.

"Yeah? Well, maybe you can climb and I can ride piggyback." His tone was light and he couldn't help but laugh at the notion, and she bonked the top of his head with her chin. Once they reached the top of the cliff, he jumped off and grabbed hold of the supports under the bridge, and he could hear cars and trucks thundering by above them.

"Hang on," he told her, and her grip on his torso tightened as he jumped from beam to beam in order to get across. When they arrived at the other side, he leapt for the Cliffside waiting for them and made his way to the left of the bridge, hoping no cars would notice them in the half a minute or so they would be out in the open. He scrambled up the cliff and into the trees, letting out a sigh of relief once they were safely among them.

"You okay?" Claire asked.

"Yup, are you?" He wondered.

"I can walk if you need me to." He smirked and hooked his hands under her, effectively trapping her legs around his waist. "Okay, okay! Fine!" She laughed and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"You couldn't keep up with me anyway," he teased as he took off through the trees. His heightened senses picked up all sorts of things around him; deer bounding through the woods, opossums and raccoons scratching the dirt, and bats taking flight as the sun's light disappeared.

Their journey from Arcadia to New Jersey had taken close to a month, what with trying to herd a rather large group of trolls who had to be hidden from sunlight and human eyes across the country and figuring out where they were even going in the first place. Jim and Claire anticipated that going by themselves should only take about four days as long as they kept a good pace, which essentially meant that he'd be running most of it with her on his back. He didn't mind- she barely slowed him down, and he had the endurance of stone. He'd slow down from time to time, but the only stops he had to make were to avoid the sun and get some sleep and food.

Going through the woods and mountains of Pennsylvania was fairly easy, as was dodging human eyes, though things became a bit more difficult when they reached the fields of Ohio. The geography took a rather dramatic plunge comparing the eastern and western borders. What it did have plenty of, however, was corn, and the two skirted those fields and ducked in whenever some late night driver was on the country roads.

"Huh," Claire grunted as they made their way southwest, heading for the southern end of Indiana.

"What?" Jim wondered as she looked back behind them, and she laughed.

"Did you not see those billboards?" She asked, and her voice took on a sarcastically ominous tone. "'If you died today, where would you spend eternity?' And the other just said 'Hell is real.'" He snorted.

"They really felt the need to put that on a billboard?" He shook his head.

"Two of them," she confirmed.

Around five in the morning, they made their first stop in Illinois, where they set up a tent in an undisturbed patch of woods where they would hopefully remain unseen. The sun had begun to peek out, lightening the sky, and the two knew they would be dealing with a long stretch of open land across the Great Plains that they hoped to cover most of during the next night. Claire fell asleep first as usual, leaving Jim alone with his thoughts as he crunched on a bit of scrap metal by the light of the Amulet.

The next night, they made their way through Missouri and the open fields of Oklahoma, and their next stop was in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where they found a small cave. Claire rolled out a sleeping bag to lay on and they took the opportunity to eat and sleep. Around what he assumed was midday, however, Jim's ear twitched as the sound of approaching voices, and he bolted upright.

"Claire," he hissed, gently shaking her, and she blinked at him as she woke. He jerked his head toward the mouth of the cave. "Sounds like kids…" She wiped the sleep from her eyes and listened as well.

"It's this way!" One young voice was saying. "It could make a great secret hideout."

"No girls allowed!" Another laughed. "So my dumb sister can't bother us." Jim looked at Claire and motioned for her to be quiet, and he focused on the sound of the approaching footsteps. These children weren't exactly stealthy. They approached the cave's mouth and Claire had a concerned look on her face, but he only smirked and took a deep breath. And with that, he let out a loud snarl from deep in his throat, one that echoed off the cave walls, and let it lower into a growl after a moment. From the sound of it, the kids stopped dead in their tracks.

"Wh-what was that?" One asked, shaking. "A bear? A monster?!" Jim let another snarl rip from his throat, and the kids screamed and took off as fast as their feet could take them, from the sound of it. Once he could barely hear them anymore, he looked at Claire with a smile, and she shook her head and laughed.

"That's one way to do it," she giggled, and his smile grew into a playful grin as he wrapped his arms around her and fell back with her against his chest.

The next night, once they had packed up and continued on their way, they began their trek through the Rocky Mountains. Claire was shivering a bit and Jim took the sleeping bag from his backpack to wrap around her, and she gave him a grateful look. In the middle of their trek, however, the mountains themselves began to rumble under their feet.

"Not again," Jim grumbled as he held Claire close to him to keep her from falling, and they both looked up as a great gaping troll face appeared from under the snow and rock.

"Troll and fleshling together," the mountain mused. "Such a strange scent. You've returned so soon?"

"We're on our way back for a visit, Craggen," Jim replied, brow furrowed. "Please let us pass." The great mountain troll leaned closer to inspect him.

"Your pilgrimage masked you before… we allowed you passage in respect to the mercy we were shown by Trollhunter Kanjigar. But you are not an ordinary troll, and you keep fleshling company." Craggen straightened up as his brothers began to stir. "Such knowledge belongs locked away, and you would no doubt be an excellent addition to Gatto's collection."

"Gatto and I are already well acquainted," Jim said lowly. "My name is Jim Lake. I am the Trollhunter who defeated Gunmar the Black, and I am the successor of Kanjigar the Courageous."

"Impossible!" One of the other mountains scoffed. "We've heard tale of Kanjigar's heir. The first human Trollhunter. And you are not human!" Jim grit his teeth, his tusks grazing his upper lip.

"Yes, he is!" Claire snapped as she stood her ground against the mountains. "He's half human, half troll. He became this to save you all from Gunmar. Now," she pointed up at Craggen. "If you don't let us pass, he'll take back any mercy Kanjigar showed you!"

"Claire…" Jim murmured, but she ignored him and kept her glare on the mountain trolls. They mumbled between each other.

"Prove your identity," Craggen ordered. "Produce the Amulet and we will let you pass." Jim retrieved the Amulet from his pocket and held it up, and its blue glow washed over the mountains. Again, the mountains rumbled to themselves, and Craggen's brothers returned to their slumber.

"Very well," the remaining mountain troll said. "Continue on, Trollhunter. And well done on your triumph over the Skullcrusher."

"Thank you," Jim replied. "Now, you'd better settle down before the humans notice you." Craggen scoffed at the notion but returned to his place buried in snow and dirt, though Jim wondered what hikers would think of the strange patch of disturbed ground.

The two finally reached the border of California near dawn, and Jim let out a gaping yawn. Claire had fallen asleep, her head leaning against his own as he cradled her on his back. He arrived in a patch of woods and roused her when they reached the base of a small cliff.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "Didn't realize I dozed off. Where are we?"

"It's fine," he replied as he let her down. "We just reached California. We should be in Arcadia within an hour once we get moving again."

"Almost home," she said as she stretched. "Alright, you sit down and I'll get camp set up." He thanked her and settled down against the cliff, hoping it would spare him from the sun a little longer. Claire didn't take long to put their tent up and he joined her inside for a meal and a chance to sleep.

When the sun set, the pair started on the final leg of their journey, and sure enough, about an hour later, a familiar glittering landscape of a small town nestled in a valley came into view. Claire scrambled off Jim's back with an excited grin, and she turned to him and took his hand.

"Come on," she urged. "No more hiding." He smiled, though his nerves made his heart sink a bit. Claire yanked on his arm, and he let her drag him down to the streets of Arcadia ahead of them. There was distinctive change in the smell of the air as they arrived, and he could detect traces of the trolls and gnomes that had remained here rather than making the long journey to the other coast. He smiled as they made their way through town, and the scattered residents still out and about gave them curious, though not unfriendly, glances.

"Holy crap!" A voice yelled, and both Jim and Claire whirled around to find a teenage girl hurrying toward them, an old friend. "C-Bomb?! Where have you been?!"

"Hey, Mary!" Claire laughed and the two exchanged a hug. "Sorry I ran off without really saying anything."

"T.P. said you moved to New Jersey with Jim," Mary said, a bit of confusion in her voice. "Can't believe your parents were cool with that. I mean, I know you guys apparently knew about trolls and all that junk, but… oh, no offense!" She said to Claire's companion. Jim shook his head with a bit of a smile.

"None taken, Mary. Good to see you. How's 'Tight Jeans Hank?'" She stared at him.

"Uh… have we met?" She tilted her head. "You look kinda familiar… I guess I would have seen you back when those trolls showed up." Claire looked up at him with a bit of concern and sympathy in her eyes. Jim's smile faded, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh, Mary, this is-" Claire started to say, but he cut her off.

"Just a friend she made," he interrupted. "I wanted to make sure she got to Arcadia safely. She and Jim have told some of us a lot about you and your friends- Darci, Steve, and Eli for example."

"Oh," Mary nodded. "Cool. Thanks for getting her here in one piece!"

"My pleasure." Jim forced a smile, and Claire looked from him to her friend.

"Well, we wanna visit T.P. before it gets too late, but we'll catch up! Promise. You, me, and Darci need a girls' night out!" Mary grinned.

"Heck, yes!" She replied. "Don't be a stranger, C-Bomb. And at least tell me before you run off again!"

"Don't worry, I will," Claire laughed. "See you around." With that, she started off toward Jim's old neighborhood, and he strode close behind. Once Mary was out of earshot, she spoke up again. "So… what was that about?"

"Mary is like the biggest gossip I know," he said. "You know I plan on telling everyone my story come the anniversary. But I want them to hear it from me." He stopped and looked down at his four-fingered hand. "Most people, even old friends of mine, they don't know I'm like this now. I don't know how many of them even realized when I supposedly disappeared. I want the chance to explain everything before I start just hearing 'Whoa, Jim Lake is a troll now.'" She took his hand in both of hers and met his gaze.

"I get it," she said gently. "And don't forget I'm here with you." He smiled and pulled her in for a hug.

"Thank you, Claire." She nodded.

"My pleasure. Now, let's go see your mom."

Not long later, they arrived at a house Jim had known for much of his life, and he took a breath as he stood just in front of it with Claire at his side. He raised a hand and knocked gently. After a brief delay, the door opened, and Barbara cupped her hand over her mouth as she saw her visitors.

"Jim!" She nearly cried and immediately launched herself at him to give him a hug, one he gladly returned and had missed terribly. After a moment, she pulled back and placed both hands on the sides of his face, a great and relieved smile on her own. "Oh, my beautiful boy… I'm so glad you made it safely."

"We're here, Mom," he said as he touched his hand to hers. "I've missed you a lot."

"Oh…" she blinked back the water in her eyes. "I've missed you too, Jim. I really didn't expect you to move out so soon." He chuckled as she released him and turned to his partner. "Good to see you too, Claire!"

"Likewise, Barbara," Claire said with a smile, and the two hugged as well. "It's good to be back."

"Well, no need for us to stand around out here," Barbara pointed out. "Get in here so we can catch up!" The two did as they were told and sat down in the living room, and Barbara went over to the basement door.

"They're here!" She called down the stairs, and a moment later, a certain green Changeling troll joined her in the living room. Jim stood up to meet him.

"Welcome home, Young Atlas," he greeted, and Jim nodded. "And you too, Miss Nuñez!"

"Hi, Mister Strikler," Claire replied with a slightly awkward smile. He waved her off.

"Please, you aren't my students anymore. Call me Walter. I insist."

"Alright, Walter," Jim said lightly. "So how are the kids?"

"Just fine," Barbara said. "They're upstairs if you want to see them. But if you wake either of them up, so help me, you will regret it!" Jim laughed and held up his hands.

"Don't worry, I'm light on my feet. They won't even know I'm there." He headed upstairs, remaining as quiet as possible as he entered his old bedroom.

He'd insisted Barbara make use of it rather than just letting his old things collect dust, especially after she and Walter had decided to raise a pair of the Familiars from the Darklands themselves. Now, the bedroom had largely stayed the way it was when he was fully human, though his bookshelf had some new additions and there were now two small cribs against the wall opposite his desk. He tiptoed over to one and peeked in at the sleeping boy, one who looked about a year and a half old.

"Hi, Waltolemew," he whispered. Walter had somewhat sadly pointed out that he was the closest thing his Familiar had to family in the current age, and he was determined to make sure the boy was well raised and had a happy life now that he was finally free from the Darklands. Jim turned his attention to the other crib and looked down at the little girl within, and she looked barely over a year old.

"Hello, Zelda," he said softly. After everything Nomura had done for them in the fight against Gunmar, the least they figured they could do was assure her Familiar's safety and happiness. Jim knew well that the little ones were in good hands, and he didn't doubt that taking care of them had helped distract Barbara after everything she had been through right down to all but losing her son.

Looking around his old bedroom left a pain in his heart, at everything that had once been his life. He took a breath and shook his head. He couldn't dwell on what things were like before, nor could he afford to regret his decision. He had a good life with the trolls now. It was just profoundly different from what he had known for sixteen years.

He bade the children a quiet farewell and headed back downstairs to rejoin the others. Barbara smiled as he came into the living room and sat down, though even as he was then, she still had a knack for reading him and knowing when something was wrong. He silently thanked her for not bringing it up right that moment.

After a little while, Jim and Claire headed outside with the promise that they would be back shortly, but they had promised one other household a visit as soon as they arrived in Arcadia. They headed across the street and Jim gave Claire a grin, motioning for her to step back, and he knocked heavily on the door. He could hear a large form lumbering about to answer it, likely suspecting a troll. Jim stepped aside and sidled up against the wall, and Claire stifled a laugh and shook her head as a certain Krubera troll opened the door. He sniffed the air and glanced around curiously, and he took about a step and a half outside to search for the source. That was just enough clearance as far as Jim was concerned. He sprung and tackled Aaarrrgghh to the ground just outside the house, and Aaarrrgghh grunted in shock and attempted to grab his assailant. But Jim was much more agile than the gentle giant, and he avoided the troll and the two rolled around the lawn before Aaarrrgghh registered the newcomer.

"Wingman!" Toby came running out with his Warhammer at the ready, and he panted as he found Aaarrrgghh suddenly grinning at the half troll sitting on his stomach in triumph.

"Jim!" Aaarrrgghh immediately rolled forward and hugged Jim, and Jim gladly returned it.

"Good to see you, Aaarrrgghh," he said, and once the giant released him, he approached Toby. "Hey, Tobes!"

"Jimbo!" Toby, like his troll companion, ran up and hugged Jim as well, and Jim knelt down to return it. "You made it! You're home!" He stepped back and looked over at Claire as she joined them. "Hey, Claire! Welcome back." Toby was absolutely beaming. "Uuuuugh, I've missed you guys so much. How's New Jersey treating you? How's the new Trollmarket coming?"

"It's good, it's all good," Jim said with a nod. "Blinky says hi and he hopes you're both doing well."

"Shame he couldn't come," Toby said as he looked up at Aaarrrgghh. "I bet he's super busy. Maybe Aaarrrgghh and I can try to visit sometime."

"We're trying to get a Gyre station set up," Claire said. "But it's a pretty long process."

"Makes sense." Toby nodded. "I'm just so happy to see you guys! Have you thought about what you're gonna say during your big speech?" Jim frowned.

"Yeah, I wrote some notes so I don't miss anything, but… I dunno. I know I need to come clean about everything and the people here deserve to know what really happened, but I can't say I'm looking forward to it."

"You know you don't have to," Claire reminded him, and he gave her a weak smile.

"I know, but I want it to come from me. I'm the reason our worlds started to come together. I'm part of both. It's for the best for me to be the one to share our story." His human friends exchanged a look, and they both nodded.

"We'll follow you anywhere, Jimbo," Toby said, and Jim smiled and looked up as Aaarrrgghh lumbered up behind him.

"Jim good guy," the troll said. "Strong and smart."

"Thanks, big guy," Jim replied and patted the Krubera's arm. "Anyway, we'll deal with that later. Tell me everything that's been going on around here!"

The next evening, Jim had withdrawn to the cavern underneath Arcadia, and he sat on the edge of a cliff as he looked at the dead Heartstone. His battle with Gunmar and Morgana weighed fresh in his mind, and he could almost hear the echo of terror through what used to be Trollmarket. Already, the crude stalls and shelters were beginning to fall apart, and stones and all sorts of goods lay scattered and shattered on the ground. Everything was so dark compared to the first time he had set foot here, and he had to remind himself that his friends and the rest of the trolls were safe across the country- those that had been saved from the Decimaar Blade and Morgana's magic, that is.

He stood up and wandered toward the part of Trollmarket he was most familiar with- the Hero's Forge. His heart sank as he saw the broken pieces of the statues that had once been his predecessors scattered across the arena. Everything was so quiet and lifeless, he felt very alone. He shook his head and retrieved the Amulet from his pocket as he made his way to the center of the arena.

"For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command." As always, his armor appeared over his body, and his sword flashed into his hand. He knelt down, the sword braced against the stone beneath him, and he bowed his head.

"Thank you for your guidance, your teachings, and your faith in me," he said softly. "Thank you for accepting me as one of you. I swear I will continue to protect and defend both our worlds from anything that may threaten them. On my honor, I will continue walking the path of Trollhunter no matter where it takes me." Though none of the former Trollhunters spoke to him, the Amulet's glow brightened ever so slightly, and he thought he felt their presence with him.

After a moment longer, he stood up and doffed his armor, and he retrieved his pack and one final piece of his preparations for the commemoration. He made his way back to the heart of Trollmarket and started for the stairs up to Arcadia, and he placed the mask in his hand over his face.

"Jim?" He heard Claire's voice from the top of the staircase. "Are you still down here?"

"Coming," he called back, and he started climbing up quickly. He found her and Toby waiting for him, and they both stared at him in absolute shock.

"Jim!" she managed to say. "You… You're… human? How?" He shook his head.

"Glamour mask," he said rather lifelessly. "I figured it would help keep the initial shock down if everyone saw me human first." He scratched the top of his head, somewhat uncomfortable with the lack of horns there. He smiled weakly. "I feel so short." Claire approached him and took his hand.

"That mask really is incredible," she said. "But I prefer the real you, no matter what that means."

"Yeah," Toby agreed. "You're you, Jimbo. Human, troll, or whatever. You're my best friend!" Jim nodded and hugged them both.

"I know, thank you," he said. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys." He squared his shoulders and turned to the wall separating them from the surface. "Okay… no time like the present." Toby nodded and handed Claire a horngazel, and she drew the arch that would allow them passage. As they emerged from under the bridge, Jim glanced around warily to assure the sun had set enough that he wouldn't be caught out in it. He wasn't entirely certain if the glamour mask would protect him, and he didn't want to risk it if he didn't have to. He'd accidentally discovered, about a month after leaving Arcadia, that sunlight thankfully wouldn't turn him to stone. But it did burn something awful, and he had no desire to repeat the experience.

The three made their way to and through downtown Arcadia, where a bunch of the residents were also heading for the town square. Jim failed to resist a glance into a store window they passed, and he felt his heart drop as he saw his past self looking back at him. A human teenager out with his best friend and his girlfriend, nothing out of the ordinary. He quickly averted his eyes and simply looked straight ahead.

"Hey, Jim! Claire!" The three looked over to find another former classmate of theirs, Shannon. She gave them a shy smile as she approached them, followed by a few other students of Arcadia Oaks High.

"Hi, Shannon!" Claire gave her a hug, though Shannon seemed a bit taken off guard by this. "Good to see you again."

"You too!" She replied. "I've been wondering why we haven't seen you around since the Troll Attack." Jim almost flinched.

"Troll Attack?" He repeated. "Is that what people are calling it?"

"Well… yeah," another teen said with a shrug. "A bunch of monster trolls explode from the ground and destroy half the town? Troll Attack."

"What about all the trolls who helped fight them?" Jim asked, and Claire gently took hold of his shoulder.

"They're cool, sure," the other teen said. "Been helping rebuild, but the majority of them weren't exactly friendly, huh?"

"It's a long story," Toby huffed. "Not… everyone is as fond of trolls as we are." Jim frowned.

"What's it to you, Lake?" The second teen asked. "I didn't see you getting all buddy buddy with them, not like your friends here."

"Okay, we gotta go," Claire said, and she quickly yanked her partner off before he could say anything. "C'mon, T.P. We're late." Toby jogged to catch up to them, leaving Shannon and the others behind. Toby sighed.

"Sorry about that, Jimbo," he said. "Like you asked, I haven't told anyone about what happened to you. But it's been kinda hard to explain why some trolls are friendly and others weren't."

"That's why I'm telling them," Jim replied. They continued on in silence until they reached the town square, where a stage and seating had been set up not unlike the Battle of the Bands a year previous. Ophelia caught sight of them almost immediately, and she waved them over and took them backstage.

"Glamour mask," Claire interrupted before her mother could ask about Jim's current state. Ophelia nodded and rested her hand on Jim's arm.

"Are you ready?" She asked, and he nodded.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied. She looked down at the clipboard in her other hand, then at her watch.

"I'll say a few opening words, then introduce you," she said. "Claire, Toby, there are seats reserved for you in the front row. I'll be joining you there while Jim is speaking. Understand?"

"Yes, Mama," Claire said. Ophelia nodded as well and stepped up on stage, standing briefly behind a curtain. She looked at her watch again, then stepped out and was greeted with soft applause as she took her place at the podium set up. She tapped on the microphone waiting for her and cleared her throat.

"Thank you all for coming out on this very special night," she began. "One year ago today, our quiet little town of Arcadia was changed in the most drastic way. We found ourselves at the mercy of creatures that we only knew of in fairy tales. The sun became eclipsed and the peace we cherish was broken, and we were not able to fight back. We were forced to rely on allies and defenders we never would have imagined: creatures we never knew existed, and more strikingly, our own children." She paused. "My daughter Claire was one of them, and I could scarcely believe what I was seeing when she emerged as a strong, adept, and courageous warrior who stood against the monsters invading our town. Tobias Domzalski fought with the strength and bravery of the trolls who assisted him, a flaming war hammer in hand and every bit of ferocity in his heart. But most importantly…" she cleared her throat once more. "James Lake Jr. answered the call of destiny and took up the mantle of Trollhunter to protect both our world and the one we never knew existed beneath our very feet. No one has given more, or lost as much, as he has to assure our safety." Once again, she paused. "Some of you may have been wondering this past year how all of this happened. Tonight, you will learn just that and more from the Trollhunter himself. Please join me in welcoming James Lake Jr." She gestured for him to come out, and he was met with polite applause and no shortage of confused faces as a lanky, unassuming teenager appeared and took her place at the podium. She stepped off the stage and took her reserved seat, as did Claire and Toby. Jim swallowed and looked out at his audience, mostly human residents of Arcadia, though a few remaining trolls were mixed in among them. He found his mother staring at him in shock from her place sitting in the front row, and Claire leaned over and murmured an explanation to her. She nodded slightly, and the Changeling next to her took her hand in a show of support. Jim nodded to her and forced a smile as he began to speak.

"Hi, everybody," he said. "Um… Thank you for that introduction, Councilwoman Nuñez. Like she said, my name is Jim Lake. I used to go to Arcadia Oaks High, some of you probably saw me play Romeo in the school play, and I was in the running for Spring Fling King." He chuckled. "All of that seems so trivial now. So far away." He shook his head and steadied himself. "As Councilwoman Nuñez said… many of you are probably wondering just what caused trolls to show up in Arcadia, and you're also probably wondering why some high school dropout is up here talking to you about it. It all began almost two years ago.

"I woke up one morning and went through my usual routine. I cooked lunch for myself, my mother, and my best friend, I tidied up the house, and I got ready for school. Toby was waiting for me like he did every morning, and while he looked over what I'd made, we ended up running late for school. So we decided we'd take the canal to make up for some of that lost time." He paused. "When I woke up that morning, I had no idea that my life was going to change forever. And I didn't know that's what was going to happen when we reached the bottom of the canal and found a pile of broken rocks there. As I would later learn, that pile of rocks was what remained of a troll warrior named Kanjigar the Courageous, and he had chosen death in sunlight rather than surrendering to his opponent. I heard something whispering my name, something coming from his remains." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Amulet, holding it aloft as it glowed gently. "I found the Amulet of Daylight, forged by the ancient wizard Merlin to choose a champion to become the Trollhunter. The very same Merlin from Camelot. Until Kanjigar had fallen, the Amulet has chosen trolls to bear it. That morning, it chose the first human- me. My small world here in Arcadia had just gotten a lot bigger, and a lot more dangerous.

"Two trolls named Blinky and Aaarrrgghh found me and told me what the Amulet had chosen me for. They explained that it was now my sacred duty to fight the Gumm-Gumms, a legion of evil trolls bent on dominating the world. Only one of them was at large at the time- their leader's son Bular. But Bular was plenty to deal with on his own. The very idea of him terrified me, and I couldn't believe what I'd been saddled with. I was a fifteen year old kid just trying to stay out of trouble, and trouble had managed to find me anyway. So I started to train with Blinky and Aaarrrgghh, and I learned about the trolls who lived peacefully and secretly under Arcadia. I had become a part of their world in addition to my own.

"One day, I discovered that goblins had kidnapped a baby from Arcadia- Enrique Nuñez, the baby brother of a certain girl I had a major crush on at the time." Claire smiled a bit. "He was replaced by a Changeling- a troll that could take on the form of its human Familiar. I quickly learned that there were way more Changelings in Arcadia than I had ever expected, including some that were actually quite close to me. So Claire ended up tangled in my mess of trying to juggle two lives, just as Toby did. And… if they hadn't, I don't know if I'd be here today telling you all about this. With their help, I defeated Bular.

"I managed to rescue Enrique, but in doing so, I had a much bigger problem to deal with. The leader of the Gumm-Gumms, Gunmar the Black, has escaped his prison and freed the witch Morgana, and together, they began building a new army. I knew I wasn't strong enough to take on Gunmar myself, even with all my training and what I had done. Gunmar was powerful on his own, but with an army and an evil witch on his side, I knew I couldn't face them as I was, not without the very real risk of losing everything and everyone I loved. In all of this, I met Merlin himself, and with his magic, he gave me a choice. I could attempt it anyway and fight Gunmar and Morgana, or I could finally and completely step away from my old life and embrace my new one with no going back." He paused, hesitating for a moment. "Once again, when I had woken up that morning, I had no idea that my life was going to change forever. That I was going to change forever. But I couldn't risk letting Gunmar win." He stepped out from behind the podium. "So I took that final step." He reached up and tore away the glamour mask, and an audible astonished gasp and murmuring passed through his audience as his true form revealed itself. Once again, he lifted the Amulet. "For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command!" Given Merlin's nature for embellishment, Jim finally figured he understood why his armor would appear so dramatically when he revealed it to someone new. He lifted off his feet as blue flame enveloped him, and his armor pieced itself together around his body. Gently, his feet returned to the ground, and his sword flashed into his hand as he held it aloft.

"My name is Jim Lake," he said again. "I am half human, half troll. I am the Trollhunter!" He stood there for a moment to give the audience time to let this sink in, and he placed his sword on his back and returned behind the podium. He adjusted the microphone to accommodate his taller height, and he took a breath. "With this new strength and my friends at my side, I was able to face Gunmar and Morgana when they attempted to wash the world in darkness with the Eternal Night. I slew Gunmar and Claire and Toby banished Morgana into inescapable darkness, freeing both human and troll from their wrath. But Gunmar had destroyed the Heartstone beneath Arcadia, the source of light and life for the trolls. Merlin told us of another he had heard of across the country in New Jersey, and so, Claire and I made the journey with them to our new home." He paused and looked over all the people watching and listening to him. "But now, as we mark the first anniversary of Gunmar's defeat and the day our worlds came together, I wanted the chance to tell you all my story. Thank you all for listening and for being here. And I promise, as your Trollhunter, that I will never stop fighting whatever may come to threaten our shared world. And… Before anything else, let me tell you that I do not look back. I am proud and honored to be who and what I am, and I look to the future with hope. So, let me share with you something that was told to me when the Amulet first chose me."

He took a breath, pondering the words that he had begun to hold so close to his heart, that always gave him the strength he needed when he thought he was going to falter, that drove him to accept and embrace his role.

"Destiny is a gift. Some go their entire lives living existence as a quiet desperation, never learning the truth that what feels as though a burden pushing down upon our shoulders is actually a sense of purpose that lifts us to greater heights. Never forget that fear is but a precursor to valor, and to strive and triumph in the face of that fear is what it means to be a hero. Don't think."

He shut his eyes and lifted his head.

"Become."

This may be the most silent he had ever heard Arcadia. Perhaps even the insects and prowling animals of dusk has quieted in order to listen to him. But then, a high pitched voice, one who had asked for answers way before most of the town, rose up.

"Jim! Jim!" Eli started to chant, and Steve joined him almost instantly. It started small, but spread through the gathered residents. "Jim, Jim, Jim!" Jim opened his eyes and smiled as the town chanted and cheered for their hero. Applause started with several people rising, and he spotted Claire and Toby both grinning ear to ear. He dipped his head and waved briefly, then motioned for his friends to join him onstage. They did so without hesitation, and he took the microphone from the podium.

"Thank you, everyone," he said. "I can't begin to tell you how much this means to me. And…" He shrugged. "I'll take questions if that's okay." Ophelia nodded her approval, and several hands immediately shot up into the air.

"Uh, should we pass a mic around?" Toby wondered, and Jim shook his head.

"Nah, I can hear just fine." His ear twitched and he pointed at a middle aged woman among the crowd.

"Just how long have trolls been living under Arcadia?" She asked.

"Actually, they had been here longer than most settlers," he replied. "Arcadia as we knew it came decades later. I imagine it was quite a shock to them!" The woman nodded and sat down, and once again, several hands went up.

"Uh, so why did Toby stay here while Claire went with you to New Jersey?" A former classmate of theirs wondered. Jim handed the microphone to Toby, who took a step forward.

"At the time the trolls left, I wanted to go with them," he said. "But Jim had been pretty badly injured in the battle and Claire lost her main weapon, and they needed someone here to help patch up the damage and protect Arcadia. So that duty fell to me." They continued answering curious questions, and one in particular caught Jim off guard if only slightly, one that came from one of his old teachers.

"So, Jim… Is there no way for you to become fully human again?" Jim shook his head.

"The shock of my… transformation was pretty drastic," he said. "Human, troll, or whatever else, I don't know if I could handle it again. Merlin said that there would be no going back. But as long as our shared world is safe, I have no regrets." Once again, the residents of Arcadia began to applaud, and Jim smiled and bowed. His smile grew to a grin and he took about half a step back, then launched himself forward and landed on top of a light post nearby, earning several awed stares.

"I keep forgetting he can do that," he heard Toby say to Claire, and she just laughed. Jim, meanwhile, scanned the crowd and heard a rather distinctive voice that his attention zeroed in on.

"Come on, Steve!" Aja said from her place standing next to him, and she shoved his arm. "You wanted rematch, yes?"

"That was before he turned into a troll!" Steve argued. "I'm tough, but not that tough!"

"You fought Alpha and those trolls last cycle around the sun," she pointed out. "You've been complaining about Jim going away ever since! Don't you want to try?" Steve sighed and massaged his forehead.

Jim was well aware that he wasn't supposed to be hearing this conversation, though Aja wasn't particularly quiet about it. His heightened senses certainly had their perks, and he smirked as he looked down at Steve.

"Hey, Palchuk!" he called from his perch, and Steve nearly jumped as he and Aja looked up at him. He leapt from the lightpost and made a practiced landing on the ground, dismissing his armor as he did so. "Heard you and Eli stood up to the Gumm-Gumms. You think you can take me?" Steve made his way through the crowd until he reached the edge where Jim was waiting, and Steve cracked his knuckles with a smile.

"Human, troll, or whatever else, I can still kick your butt," he challenged. "Hope you're ready, Lake." Jim grinned and stood there, relaxed and light on his feet.

"Always ready," he replied, a challenging glint in his eyes. Steve charged for him, but he nimbly stepped to the side and left his opponent stumbling to regain his balance. But Steve never took his eyes off the half-troll, and he spun around and decided instead to step forward slowly with his arms raised. He and Jim circled each other for a moment, and Jim had to give him credit for his perseverance. Once he was close enough, Steve took a jab at Jim, but again, the half-troll dodged and instead attempted to grapple him. But Steve proved even more slippery than Jim remembered, and he managed to duck and leap back.

"Good, Steve!" Aja cheered from the sidelines, and her brother Krel gave an approving nod. "Remember what we taught you!" Steve smirked and made another move for Jim, though he faked to the right and instead struck from the left. Jim's reflexes and instincts were about as good as they could probably get and he was able to roll out of the way, but he had to admit that Steve had picked up some tricks from somewhere.

He decided to humor his old school rival and purposefully failed to dodge or block Steve's next jab at him, and the fist hit him square in the chest.

It took about three seconds before Steve registered the impact.

"Yeowww!" He nearly howled, stepping back and inspecting his already bruising hand. "Dude! Ow… that was like punching rock!"

"Well, you kinda did!" Eli called from his place in the audience. Steve shot him a look before turning back to Jim.

"Not bad, man," he said. "Nothing gets past you, huh?"

"Not much," Jim replied with a shrug. "Sorry about your hand." Steve looked at him a moment longer, then extended his good hand toward the half-troll.

"Good stuff, Lake. Er…" He smiled. "Trollhunter." Jim smiled and shook Steve's hand, mindful of his strength. It wouldn't do Steve much good if both of his hands were injured.

"Nice moves, Jim!" Krel said excitedly as he and Aja joined them, and Claire and Toby were approaching as well.

"This is better look for you," Aja remarked, looking Jim up and down. "So ferocious!"

"I'm so glad the 'safety suit' came in handy," Krel added, and Jim laughed. But even as he did so, he could have sworn a strange and unfamiliar scent has permeated the air. It was almost human, but there was something… off about it. It was absolutely foreign to him.

But he decided to let it go as Claire and Toby joined him, and Claire stretched up on the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek. Toby was laughing about Steve's unfortunate mistake, and of course Steve was giving him a good natured glare in response. He turned his attention back to his partner, however, as she lightly tugged on his ear.

"See?" She said with a smile. "Human, troll, or whatever else, you're still Jim. And that's what matters." He gave her a gentle smile in return.

"Thank you, mi amor," he replied gently. Then, she stretched up once more and gave him a warm, loving kiss, catching him off guard. Thankfully, his fangs weren't too difficult to maneuver, and he lifted her in his arms and gladly kissed her back, earning a positive response from the crowd watching them.

"I love you, Jim," she said softly as she rested her forehead against his. "I always will.

"I love you too, Claire," he replied with a smile. "Thank you. For everything."

He set her down and turned back to the crowd of Arcadians, human and troll alike, and was glad to mingle with them as people asked him all sorts of questions, remarked on his strength and skill, or just marveled about how interesting he looked. But the warmth and kindness around him… Even he felt like it may melt away his stone-like skin. This was his world. And the Trollhunter would always protect the world, no matter what shape he took or how great the threat he faced. He would stand fast and strong with his friends, his family, at his side, a sword in hand and a shield for those he gladly protected.

There was no need to think about it.

He would simply become.


End file.
